


Treading

by Marshmellow (orphan_account)



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, M/M, somewhat happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-17
Updated: 2012-03-17
Packaged: 2017-11-02 01:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/363602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Marshmellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tommy and Teddy have a row over Billy's depression and some things are said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treading

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this over at my Tumblr first but I thought I'd share it with the AO3 public :)

There were three people in the room, but the silence pressed on. Teddy couldn’t even bear to look at his boyfriend who sat by the window. Just like yesterday, just like the day before, just like-

So he hid his head in his hands and hunched over; he wanted to be small. He wanted to disappear. No, Teddy didn’t cry. Or at least, he didn’t cry in front of Billy. It would be worse to be emotionally vulnerable while Billy sat there, unfeeling. Possibly not even caring about the bigger boy’s distraught. Teddy knew this wasn’t true, but even he had his doubts. 

“Whatareyoudoing?” Tommy hissed at him. Teddy could hear the disgust on Tommy’s tongue, just like the past few days. 

“What do you mean?” Teddy replied into his hands. Today, he had no desire to speak with Tommy. There was nothing to say. He felt bad enough about Billy, but what could he do? He’s done all he could.

“Get off your ass, Teddy! Your boyfriend is over there wasting himself away and you’re sitting here crying like a puss!” Tommy spat. Billy curled himself closer to the window. No one noticed. Teddy was too caught up in Tommy’s bullshit and vice versa.  
“I’m not crying, Tommy, I’m just a little bit exhausted from all this shit!” Teddy whispered angrily. 

“Wow, calling you’re own boyfriend shit? You’re pathetic, Theodore.”

“I’m not pathetic, I’m trying my hardest!”

“You’re supposed to love him! You’re supposed to take care of him and save him from himself! Well you’re doing a shit job!”  
“So are you!” Teddy shouted. Silence took over. By the window, Billy had pressed in as close as he could and covered his ears with his hands. And that’s what finally broke Teddy. He was just tired. Exhausted. Done. 

“Excuse me.” He mumbled as he ran out. 

“He’s not.” Billy said as soon as Teddy was out of the room. 

“What?” Tommy whirled around. Couldn’t Billy see how horrible Teddy was being? This was too frustrating. Why did Tommy even bother with the two? 

“Teddy’s not pathetic. He loves me.” 

“Obviously not.” 

And then Tommy left too.

Thus began a whirl of thoughts that ate at Billy’s brain.

The day ended. Another day began.

Teddy was back.

Teddy was back and he was upset. He was crying. 

He was crying?

Billy said nothing on the matter. The silence stretched on. Perhaps he was crying because he wasted so much time trying to help a hopeless case, Billy thought dangerously. 

“You don’t have to be here.” Billy said to the window.

“Yes I do.” 

“Why?”  
“Because that’s what boyfriends do.” For some reason, this frustrated Billy. Of course, Teddy was doing it out of what was expected, wasn’t he? He had to be here. He didn’t want to be here. 

“Yeah. It is.” The words were flat. Billy didn’t mind the way they came out. He didn’t mind anything these days.

“I…I’m sorry about yesterday. I know you must’ve heard some of that…”

“I did.” Billy never looked away from the window. “Tommy clarified some things for me.”

This immediately had Teddy’s head pounding. Whatever Tommy had said couldn’t be anything good. “What things?” 

“Just…things.” 

There was a long pause as Teddy contemplated what this could possibly mean.

“Billy, you know I love you right?” 

The words almost brought tears to Billy’s eyes.

“I wouldn’t spend all this time trying to get you out of your funk if I didn’t love you. And I do love you, okay? I love you so much that I don’t know what to do about this and you and you’re here but you’re not and…” By the time Teddy stopped to take a breath, they were both crying. 

And for the first time in ages, Billy stepped away from his window and hugged his boyfriend.

“I’m sorry.” Billy said into the warm fabric of Teddy’s t-shirt. “Tommy said…and I’m just…”

“Please come back.”

And he did.


End file.
